cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Whos doing Galaxy S4 eDP hack?

Cgpnz
Honored Guest
Well I have finally ordered a S4 replacement screen and a few test cables (has the connector/cable).

www.etradesupply.com

it was usd 230, at least twice the expected price, but thats secondary parts market for you.
I will get a display port splitter (one that does stream split and not just mirroring.): first
for the two eyes and second hopefully for some electronic shorting separation from an expensive
display port source.

My main reason for the topic is to ask if anyone else has done this and what problems were encountered.

I have worn out my google eyes looking for eDP hacks: there is but one lonely 10" iPad retina example.

Surely the awesomeness of this endeavor would cause more hackster outcomes.
46 REPLIES 46

Inscothen
Explorer
I just chcked the ipad retina hack site and it said the connector is 51 pins on that panel so I'm thinking 10 doesn't mean number of contacts. I hope that site didnt confuse 1080p with 10 eDP.

Cgpnz
Honored Guest
EtradeSupply.com delivered a S4 screen and three test cables.
This one is an 'i337', but that is for the motherboard separation shield that I will
have to remove to trace wires etc.

Well as probably expected the cable attachments are the next barrier.
The connector is microscopic 8mm for 20 pins, the cable is 9mm width length 7cm.
At least we can get lots of test cables with which to play.
My next step is to find what these cable connect to.

If no test adapter is found, then how to attach to the cable?
There are vias on one end that a pin could be pushed though.
Has anyone successfully connected wires to these flexible cables. Can you scrap away the enamel to
reveal conductor?
I will cut away at one end to see if I can get the connector wires askew.

Inscothen
Explorer
Wouldn't it be easier to build a breakout board for the cable. Find out the connector model number and build a breakout pcb. Soldering with such a fine pitch would be hard.

Cgpnz
Honored Guest
The test cable is double sided with 20 lines per side. It has the connectors at each end. There is
No way anyone is soldering anything to the connectors, they are industrial microscopic. I doubt
Even professional smd in the lab could do it, they are 7mm /20.
Either a pin thru the vias, cut out the connectors wire on th other end, or conductive glue a wire
To exposed traces on the cable, or vastly preferable find what this cable is connected to.

Cgpnz
Honored Guest
Sorry, of course the test adapter that the test cable connects to is the galaxy motherboard itself.
Wasn't thinking clearly. Its happy micro wire time.

Cgpnz
Honored Guest
That micro cable is nasty.

Current remaining thought is to sand the cable either side to expose the conductor.
Paint over alternative strips or expose every third one.
Connect wires using conductive glue. I may have to order
a few more cables to get one that works.

I dont think ordering any pc board with this micro connector is viable for diyers.

The cables are cheap 6usd at etradesupply.com and they are honest no scam.

For those who are hoping for other small panels such as 6"ers etc you will have the
same connector sizes, so perhaps you should order a few cables and this can be a
challenge for DIY rifters.

Cgpnz
Honored Guest
There are no signal electronics on the display. Any TCON or eDP receiver if they exist are on the motherboard.
This experiment is over.

Inscothen
Explorer
Should there be a eDP receiver on the motherboard? The exyno outputs a eDP(or MIPI?) signal which goes straight into the display, no? So we just find out which wires are which and make adapter if it's eDP or a custom circuit if it's MIPI, right?

I know MIPI requires short length cable so the driving IC's might be in the chip and not on the display. So there still may be hope.

EDIT: so i looked at another 5" 1080p display and the only ic I saw on it was a 30mm x 85mm driver ic. It was a MIPI panel though.

Cgpnz
Honored Guest
Somehow the 8 wires of the 4 lane +- signals have to be translated into 1080 line signals.
I was expecting chips somewhere in the signal path from those 5 wiggly lines.
You can see the picture in the etradesupply.com.
http://www.etradesupply.com/oem-samsung-galaxy-s4-sgh-i337-lcd-screen-and-digitizer-assembly-refurbi...

What you see there is a touch sensor synaptics s5000b connected via the bridge to the main
flexible electronics. There are smd two end things such as resistors and capacitors.
I peeled this flexi-pc board up to view the other side. There are no
chips. On the edge into the panel you can see 1000 odd micro tabs and a cascade of wire tracks to
them. Somehow the function of whatever signal lanes to panel lines is done on this flexi-board.
There are a number of white dots, I wonder if these hold some 'micro stuff'.

My thought about the TCON and eDP receiver (or mipi equivalents) being on the cell phones motherboard
probably not true.

This project is not over yet. The next barrier is if I can make a test cable breakout connection.

Cgpnz
Honored Guest
For those who think someone just needs to analyse the signal wires to devise a fpga link up.
For these 10Gbps FHD signals you need these oscilloscopes:
http://www.tek.com/oscilloscope/dpo70000-dsa70000-mso70000